You too can live the life of a Cambridge University alumni with a stay in this gorgeous English city. Home to one of the world’s oldest institutions of higher education, Cambridge is also home to quirky boutique hotels and luxury five-star properties.
Explore iconic university locations like King’s College, Trinity College, and Corpus Christi College before taking a punt along the River Cam and popping into The Eagle (where Crick and Watson announced the discovery of DNA) for a pint or two.
You can visit fascinating museums, including the Fitzwilliam Museum and the University Museum of Zoology, walk in the footsteps of famous scholars and scientists in the botanical gardens, and enjoy day trips to countryside manors and Cambridgeshire estates.
With all that sightseeing, it’s a good thing Cambridge is brimming with excellent hotels. In fact, there are so many fantastic places to stay in Cambridge that you may find it almost impossible to settle on just one. To help you out, we’ve put together a list of the 10 best hotels in Cambridge, England, for you!
- Short on time and don’t want to read the whole article? Here are our top 3 picks!
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The 10 Best Luxury Hotels in Cambridge, England
1. Graduate Cambridge
One of the most luxurious boutique hotels in Cambridge is the Graduate Cambridge. This waterfront hotel looks directly over the green banks of the River Cam, and you’ll love how you can stroll straight out through the gardens and hop into a punt.
Given the name, you’re probably already expecting this hotel to be inspired by the University of Cambridge. You’re not wrong, and throughout, you’ll find heraldic coats of arms, shelves of library books, and a lobby that’s decorated with old punting boats and artwork of DNA molecules.
But the Graduate Cambridge offers all of the luxuries a student never really gets to enjoy. There are plush king beds, elegant writing desks, velvety lounge chairs, and Malin+Goetz toiletries. The best rooms offer views of the river, and a rare few suites have private balconies.
The on-site Cambridge Leisure Club is home to a thermal suite, a heated indoor swimming pool, and a fully equipped gym. The Garden Bar mixes student-inspired cocktails, the Garden Room serves a delectable afternoon tea, and the Garden House features an open-grill kitchen where mighty sharing platters are prepared.
2. Hilton Cambridge City Centre
If you’re looking for a central stay just steps from colleges and museums, then the Hilton Cambridge City Centre is one of our favorite choices. This is easily one of the best hotels in Cambridge, and you’ll love the seamless contemporary design that sweeps through this swish four-star property.
The Hilton’s 198 luxury rooms all feature calming cream decor and light wooden furnishings. The queen or king-size beds are ultra comfortable, while modern amenities include 55-inch flat-screen televisions and a Nespresso machine.
Afternoon tea is served in the Lounge & Bar, while the Bull & Bass Restaurant offers modern British dining, including dishes like baked somerset camembert and Chelmsford pork tomahawks.
3. Clayton Hotel Cambridge
With an unbeatable location next to the train station, the Clayton Hotel Cambridge offers four-star comfort in the heart of the city.
With oak paneling, vintage decor, and marble bathrooms, the Clayton Hotel’s 160 rooms draw on Cambridge’s heritage while offering modern luxuries like King Koil Beds and branded toiletries.
Enjoy a healthy “Vitality Breakfast” to kickstart your day in Cambridge and an all-day dining menu of salmon, curry, and burgers at the Tamburlaine Restaurant to keep you going.
4. University Arms
Steeped in history and shrouded in grandeur, the University Arms is one of the coolest boutique hotels in Cambridge. Stroll through the elegant Greco-Roman-inspired entrance, and you’ll find yourself in a hotel that’s undeniably modern, yet still trapped in its Edwardian arrogance.
Tall Victorian windows flood spacious rooms with light, while chandeliers, ottomans, and writing desks add to the timeless allure. The decor is contemporary in its color, while the bathrooms – with their brass fittings and freestanding tubs – are distinctly Art Deco in style.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all served in Parker’s Tavern, an old coaching inn now stocked with a delightful cocktail list and premium English ingredients.
5. The Fellows House
One of the coolest hotels in Cambridge is The Fellows House. Part of the prestigious Curio Collection by Hilton, this four-star property features a delightful wellness center that’s home to a gorgeous indoor swimming pool, a steamy sauna, and a fully-equipped gym.
Within walking distance of Jesus Green, The Fellows House offers apartments, suites, and studios that any self-respecting Cambridge lecturer would love to stay in (they even offer long-term deals for students and professors). Luxury rooms feature king-size beds, rain showers, and, depending on the exact room type, various degrees of kitchen amenities and utensils.
But you might prefer to dine at The Folio Kitchen, where you can start the day with a full English breakfast and finish up in the evening with a dinner of pan-fried trout or seared tofu steaks.
6. Hyatt Centric Cambridge
You’ll find the Hyatt Centric on the outskirts of the city center, where you can immerse yourself in the student-centric suburb of Eddington. This is where the Cambridge of old is being thrust into the 21st century, with modern university facilities and quirky cocktail bars standing next to contemporary hotels like the Hyatt Centric.
The Hyatt Centric combines Art Deco design with industrial chic, and you’ll love the super king-size beds, Hyatt Luxury Euro Top Mattress, and down duvets that feature in every boutique room.
Enjoy a tipple of whiskey from the minibar, head down to the Brew for coffee and pastries, or set up shop for the day in the hotel’s co-working space. You can even get your hair cut and styled at Douce (a salon and bar), while The Astronomer serves English classics like slow roasted pork belly, steak, ale and mushroom pie, and venison steak.
7. Turing Locke
Located in the classy suburb of Eddington, Turing Locke intends to be your home away from home in Cambridge. This four-star hotel offers luxury apartments that are fully equipped with all the amenities and utilities you’ll need for a self-contained stay.
Stylish studios and one-bedroom apartments are seamlessly modern in terms of their functionality, but the decor has serious Art Deco vibes running through it. Upgrade to a Terrace Suite for a spacious private balcony offering views of the courtyard.
8. Gonville Hotel
Sports fans will love staying at the Gonville Hotel, a unique Cambridge boutique hotel overlooking Parker’s Piece, a grassy field where the game of football (soccer) is said to have first been played in its modern form.
Even if you care little for football, you’ll love the Gonville Hotel. This four-star boutique hotel is home to quirky but luxurious bedrooms, and the staff aims to create an experiential stay for each of its guests. You’ll be staying in a late Victorian-era townhouse, where eight floral rooms feature cashmere beds and Penhaligon toiletries.
The Terrace Restaurant, which has been awarded 2AA Rosettes, offers a fine dining menu of wood pigeon, tandoori monkfish, and loin of venison, all curated by Head Chef Jamie De Cruz. The Gonville Hotel also offers bespoke tours of Cambridge, including their famous Bentley and Afternoon Tea experience.
9. Hotel du Vin & Bistro Cambridge
One of the best luxury hotels in Cambridge is the Hotel du Vin & Bistro. This boutique stay feels as if it was designed exclusively for foodies, and you’ll not only be staying in a luxury room with Egyptian linens, handspring mattresses, and deep soaking bathtubs, but you’ll also have exclusive access to the culinary expertise of The Bistro.
Home to an extensive wine cellar replete with Bordeaux reds and Rhone Valley classics, The Bistro serves a hearty breakfast and a mean afternoon tea. The highlight, though, is the “Taste du Vin” menu, which provides a sommelier-selected glass of wine with each of its five fine dining courses.
10. The Varsity Hotel & Spa
The Varsity Hotel & Spa is one of the coolest Cambridge hotels. Home to an immense rooftop terrace and bar with the best views in Cambridge, you’ll love how each of the quirky rooms is named after a different university college.
Boutique rooms feature portraits of historical characters and antique furnishings alongside walk-in rain showers and plush beds (the best rooms offer private balconies). Unwind at The Glassworks, where you can work out in the gym or soak in the hot tub before enjoying afternoon tea with a view of the River Cam.
That completes our list of the 10 best Cambridge hotels! Did we miss any cool boutique hotels in Cambridge, England? Comment below so we can add them to the list!
Where to Stay in Cambridge
The best luxury hotels in Cambridge draw inspiration from the city’s historic university surroundings. Luxury suites are named after centuries-old colleges, while boutique hotels decorate their lobbies with library books and old punting boats.
Cambridge is a delightfully compact city to explore, and you’ll find many of the best boutique hotels are located within easy walking distance of the colleges, too, with Regent Terrace, Parker’s Piece, and Downing Street being home to some excellent properties.
Several hotels overlook the River Cam, too, and you’ll love staying among the meadowland of Coe Fen or along the green river banks of Jesus Green. Further afield, you can escape the old city with a stay in Eddington, an up-and-coming suburb that’s home to Cambridge’s modern apart-hotels.
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